Roy Jones Jr.'s Legacy

[Stoppage]

Even though Roy Jones Jr. is still fighting today, how would you rate him in history?

You can without a doubt say that he was p4p one of, if not the, best of his era. You can also say that when he was in his prime, he was near perfect.

The thing that most people frown on him for is his lack of great opponents during the most part of his career. While that can be said, remember that he beat the following:

Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Felix Trinidad
Antonio Tarver
Mike McCallum

Those alone are a great list of opponents.

So how would you rate him in history?

[GJC]

Great fighter think you'd have to be pretty stingy not to have him top 20/30 PfP ATG

[Benncollinsaad]

Great fighter think you'd have to be pretty stingy not to have him top 20/30 PfP ATG

I agree. He's def past his prime now, but I rate him very high.

[bojangles1987]

I'm a nuthugger, I honestly think he belongs in the top 20, there are very few that would beat a prime RJ.

[Obama]

Even though Roy Jones Jr. is still fighting today, how would you rate him in history?

You can without a doubt say that he was p4p one of, if not the, best of his era. You can also say that when he was in his prime, he was near perfect.

The thing that most people frown on him for is his lack of great opponents during the most part of his career. While that can be said, remember that he beat the following:

Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Felix Trinidad
Antonio Tarver
Mike McCallum

Those alone are a great list of opponents.

So how would you rate him in history?

-Hopkins wasn't prime till '97. Jones fought him in '93.
-Toney had to lose 44 lbs in 6 weeks. He tried to fight Roy at LHW instead, Roy refused.
-Trinidad was over the hill. The man hasn't been prime or credible since Bernard knocked his ass out at Middleweight. He fought Roy at Light Heavyweight.
-He didn't really beat Tarver, ever. Can't ignore Tarver's two revenge wins either.
-Mike McCallum was over the hill.

Roy fought 3 great body punchers all at opportune times. Did he have the balls to fight McCallum when he was still elite like Toney did? Roy and Toney started their careers at roughly the same time. While Roy beat on club fighters, James Toney fought the best of the best and earned his way to p4p #1. Then Roy cherry picked it from him in opportunistic fashion, and never defended the p4p title against a worthy challenger.

Roy was a hype job who doesn't make the top 10 in any weight class besides Super Middleweight, the biggest joke division (historically speaking) of them all.

I rate him somewhere between 50 and 75 p4p.

[D-MiZe]

I'm a nuthugger, I honestly think he belongs in the top 20, there are very few that would beat a prime RJ.

Anyone who has the speed and skill to catch him would beat him.

If Tarver got to him, then I can think of about 40 other fighters that could.

[nachorjj]

-Hopkins wasn't prime till '97. Jones fought him in '93.
-Toney had to lose 44 lbs in 6 weeks. He tried to fight Roy at LHW instead, Roy refused.
-Trinidad was over the hill. The man hasn't been prime or credible since Bernard knocked his ass out at Middleweight. He fought Roy at Light Heavyweight.
-He didn't really beat Tarver, ever. Can't ignore Tarver's two revenge wins either.
-Mike McCallum was over the hill.

Roy fought 3 great body punchers all at opportune times. Did he have the balls to fight McCallum when he was still elite like Toney did? Roy and Toney started their careers at roughly the same time. While Roy beat on club fighters, James Toney fought the best of the best and earned his way to p4p #1. Then Roy cherry picked it from him in opportunistic fashion, and never defended the p4p title against a worthy challenger.

Roy was a hype job who doesn't make the top 10 in any weight class besides Super Middleweight, the biggest joke division (historically speaking) of them all.

I rate him somewhere between 50 and 75 p4p.

the prime of hopkins was in 97 and roy 95/99

[Obama]

the prime of hopkins was in 97 and roy 95/99

There isn't much difference between Roy's prime and pre-prime. You have to remember he should have been an Olympic gold medalist and his style relied 90% on athleticism, which is at it's peak in youth.

[robjr]

1st 15 Pro fights all won by KO/TKO.

Jorge Vaca
knocked out Jorge Vaca in 1st round. Jones 1st step up in competition in his career. Vaca a former welterweight world champion. TKO'd mark breland in his previous match before Jones.

Jorge Fernando Castro
Jones won a wide UD. 1 judge gave castro 2 rounds. Castro is a former wba middleweight champion. He is 130-11 with 90KO's

Percy Harris
Jones won by TKO in round 4. Harris defeated Thomas Tate for the IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title.

Glenn Wolfe
Jones TKO'd him in the 1st round. Wolfe went the distance with a young James Toney.

Bernard Hopkins
Only Clear defeat of Hopkins whole career. Any other was contraversial. including 2 Split decisions. Only defeat the hopkins admits he feels he truly lost. Jones defeated hopkins for the IBF middleweight title. Jones had an injured right hand in this fight and basicly won the fight 1 handed, watch the fight and you will see how rarely he throws the right. 116-112 on all jufges scorecards. hopkins status as a fighter is self explanatory, I dont need to go into specifics. You all know what he has doen and is still doing.

Thulani Malinga
Jones knocked out Malinga in the 6th round. Completely dominating him the whole fight. Malinga only stopped 3 times in his career. the other 2 were the last 2 fights of his career when he was 44 and 45 yrs old. Malinga lost a split decision to Chris Eubank for the WBO super middleweight title, Malinga was knocked down in the 5th round. Malinga won a split decision against Nigel Benn for the WBC super middleweight title. Lost a split decision to Vincenzo Nardiello. Won a unanimous decision against a prime Undefeated Robin Reid to retain the WBC super middleweight title, Malinga was 42 yrs old in this fight.

Thomas Tate
TKO'd in round 2 by Jons. Went the distance with Hard punching Julian Jackson to lose a 116-111 decision for the wbc middleweight title. Defeated Joseph Kiwanuka who has wins over Segundo Mercado and Glen Johnson. KO'd Merqui Sosa who is known to have a great chin. Lost 2 decisions late in his career to otke, in germany, enough said. At 36 years old he won a split decision against Fulgencio Zuniga and also TKO'd Omar sheika in round 4.

James Toney
Jones moved up from middleweight to defeat Toney for the IBF super middleweight title. Toney was undefeated at the time and arguably the #1 pound for pound fighter at that present time. Jones won a UD 108-119 109-118 110-117. Jones knocked Toney down in round 3. Toney is a world title holder in 3 weight classes. And you all know what he has doen and who he has beat.

Vinny Pazienza
Jones TKO'd pazienza in round 6. there was a round where pazienza didnt land 1 punch. Pazienza is a world champion in 2 wieght classes. has defeated Joseph Kiwanuka at 170lbs. Paz started career at lightweight. defeated roberto duran at 168.

Tony Thornton
Jones won by TKO in round 3. Lost a majority decision to Steve Collins. won a split decisions against Merqui Sosa. Lost a close UD to undefeated chris eubank for the super middleweight title, fight was in the UK. Went distance with toney in 93.

Merqui Sosa
Jones won by TKO against sosa in round 2. Sosa lost a split decision to James Toney in 1991. Sosa was knocked down in this fight and lost a point for low blows. Lost 116-112 decision to Nunn. Sosa won a unanimous decision against Glen Johnson and knocked out Segundo Mercado.

Eric Lucas
Jones won by TKO in round 12. Lucas is a Former WBC super middleweight champion, with 3 defenses. Lost it to Markus beyer in a split decision in Germany.. He knocked out Segundo Mercado. Won Unanimous Decisions against Vinny pazienza and Omar Sheika.

Bryant Brannon
Jones won by TKO in round 2 against brannon. Brannon defeated Eric Lucas.

Mike McCallum
World Champion in 3 Weight Classes. TKO'd and undefeated Julian Jackson in round 2. knocked out donald curry. won a split decision against Sumbu Kalambay. Won a split decision against herol graham. Won a unanimous decision against undefeated steve collins. Had a draw with James Toney in 1991.

Montell Griffin
Jones lost by DQ in 1st fight. fought 5 months later and knocked the undefeated Griffin out in the 1st round. Griffin is a former wbc light heavyweight champion. Won a majority decicion to james toney in 1995, and then a unanamious decision against toney in 1996.

Virgil Hill
Jones won by KO in round 4 with a body shot. Jones only fighter to knock Hill out. Hill a world title holder in 2 weight classes. Hill was succesful in 10 title defenses of his wba light heavywiehgt title before losing a close decision to thomas hearns in 1991. Beat 3 undefeated fighters: Fabrice Tiozzo, Lou Del Valle, and Henry Maske.

Lou Del Valle
Lost wide UD 119-108 to Jones. Lost close decision to Virgil Hill. Del Valle is a former WBA light heavyweight title holder.

Otis Grant
TKO loss to Jones in round 10. Grant a former WBO middleweight title holder.

Reggie Johnson
Jones won a Unanimous decision against Reggie Johnson 120-106 on all cards. Only other losses came by 2 contraversial split decision losses in argentina against Jorge castro, a split decision loss to tarver in 2002, another close UD loss to john david Jackson in argentina, and a split decision loss to James Toney in 1991. Johnson knocked down toney for the 1st time in his career, where he actually looked hurt. Won a majority decision to Steve Collins. And recently at age of 42 he defeated Julio Cesar Gonzalez. All of Johnsons losses were extremely close or contraversial robberies. Jones was only one to completley dominate him. Reggie Johnson a former world title holder in 2 weight classes.

Eric Harding
Defeated Montell Griffin and Antonio Tarver.

Derrick Harmon
Jones won by TKO in round 11. Harmon Won a unanimous decision against Glen Johnson in 2002.

Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Jones beat the undefeated at the time Gonzalez by a wide 119-106 unanimous decision. Gonzalez is a former WBO light heavyweight title holder. Has wins against Joseph Kiwanuka, Glen Johnson, and the undefeted at the time Dariusz Michalczewski. Lost a UD to erdei in Germany. also has a win against Montell Griffin.

Glen Kelly
Jones won by KO 7. Kelly has wins against Sam Soliman and TKO'd John Mugabi.

Clinton Woods
Jones won because woods corner threw towel in 6th round. Jones only fighter to stop Woods. Woods is a former IBF light heavyweight title holder with 5 defenses. has 2 wins over Glen Johnson, a win over Julio Cesar Gonzalez, TKO'd Rico Hoye.

John Ruiz
Jones moved up in weight to defeat John Ruiz in a unanumous decision to win the WBA Heavyweight World Title. Jones weighed 193, Ruiz 226.


Jones Losses

Jones vs. Tarver I & II
Jones regained his old belt by beating Antonio Tarver. Jones looked weak after coming down from heavyweight to light heavyweight losing 25 plus pounds of muscle. Jones won by majority decision, the judges giving him 117-111,116-112 and 114-114.

On May 15, 2004, Jones faced Tarver in a rematch. Jones was heavily favoured to win, but Tarver scored a KO at 1:41 of the second round. Jones had won the first round, but in the second, as Jones tried a combination, he was caught by a big counter-hook left from Tarver. Jones got on his feet by the count, but was unable to continue.

Glen Johnson
Johnson knocked out Jones 49 seconds into the ninth round. Johnson was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the knockout (77-75, 77-75, 78-74). Jones clearly not recovered from the KO from Tarver, looked scared the whole fight.

Jones vs Tarver III
After almost a year away from the ring. Clearly not recoevred from to straight brutal KO losses Tarver won by unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 116-112)

Calzaghe
Undefeated top 3 pound for pound fighter Jones on a comeback trail got a fight at nearly age 40 a match against Joe Calzaghe. Jones looked good in the 1st couple rounds knocking down Calzaghe in the 1st round. Half way through the fight Jones sustained a cut that never got any improvement from cutman which impaired his vision for the 2nd half of the fight. not very active no legs, calzaghe won a clear unanimous decision.

Key Points
Jones became the first former middleweight title holder to win a heavyweight title in 106 years. Jones also became the first fighter to start his career as a jr. middleweight and win a heavyweight title.

Before the 1st fight with Ruiz Jones lost 10 rounds at most in his whole career.

Former Middleweight World Champion

Former Super Middleweight World Champion

Former Light-Heavyweight World Champion

Former Heavyweight World Champion

Pound for Pound King from 1994-2003

[mikeyh1015]

Roy jones Jr is the greatest fighter of All Time!!!!! There is no question. 20 yrs from now he will be finally noticed and recognized. Our era will prove it.